


unexpected (and what a delight)

by MoraMew



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Couch Cuddles, Crushes, F/M, Fall themes, First Dates, Fluff, Food, Food as a Metaphor for Love, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Kissing, Love Confessions, Nicknames, Petting zoo, Slice of Life, hand holding, hay rides and corn mazes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-27
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:54:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24941161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoraMew/pseuds/MoraMew
Summary: “What flavor is it?” she asks, unable to help herself.Osamu shakes his head and he grins a little as the faintest pout tugs onto her lips.“Guess,” he tells her. “Try it and guess.”(or; Yachi expects many things to happen. They often don't and that's okay- the unexpected is usually much, much more enjoyable)
Relationships: Miya Osamu & Yachi Hitoka, Miya Osamu/Yachi Hitoka
Comments: 89
Kudos: 248
Collections: food fiction for the heart





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> a few days ago, my writing prompt generator spit out the word _pumpkin_  
>  and i immediately fell in love with the idea of osayachi fluff and him calling her pumpkin
> 
> maybe it's a little sickly sweet, but the thought pleases me

Yachi Hitoka expects many things to happen. They often don’t and they’re often ridiculous when she looks back at what her frenzied mind had fretted over. Kidnappings on her way home, getting knocked out by a falling flower pot, her boss firing her over getting her upper lobe pierced, her food spoiling just because she gets caught for five minutes in traffic on the way home- they’re all ridiculous things she’s expected before and none of them have come to pass.    
  
(Yet)   
  
She has an active mind; this is something she’s known ever since she was young and this is something that has brought her much grief and a little amusement. Her mind has conjured up thousands of anxious scenarios over the years and it’s something she’s only recently managed to gain a meager amount of control over.   
  
She worries a lot. She imagines many things happening, and she tends to get caught up in the over-dramatic events her too imaginative mind anticipates.   
  
There are a few things she  _ doesn’t _ manage to frantically envision, though.   
  
One of those things is being caught in a power outage while picking up dinner for her and her roommate during a storm.   
  
Another is the owner of the store being kind enough to give her two pre-made bentos so she and her roommate aren’t left hungry- which was much, much different than the worry of being murdered in the dark that her mind had immediately started fretting over.   
  
Those two things led to her meeting Miya Osamu. They led her to being taken home by him in his beat up, but nice and cozy and thankfully warm truck when the storm proved to be stubborn and the power refused to turn back on. (She had imagined him kidnapping her and taking her to his home, chopping her up for ingredients for his onigiri.)   
  
Being taken home by him led to Yachi feeling terribly indebted to him. (And very guilty- he was so nice to her and his voice had been very calming amidst the thunder and pounding rain; he was not the killer her mind kept insisting and she immediately felt horrible once safely deposited at home over thinking such mean things.)   
  
Feeling indebted led to Yachi making her way back to his store to try to apologize to him as well as thank him.   
  
Which led to him telling her it was no big deal; which led to her stubbornly insisting repaying him; which led to him telling her not to worry about it and that, really, it was okay and she should just focus on her schoolwork and pay him back by buying some of his food; which led to Yachi buying some (very delicious) onigiri and eating it while still insisting that she  _ must _ do something to repay him.   
  
Which led to them eventually agreeing upon Yachi helping him redesign his logo.   
  
Which led to a very fun project that her professor was surprisingly supportive and pleased over.   
  
Which led to Yachi coming to the restaurant frequently to eat and talk about the design with Osamu, show him mock ups of it.   
  
Which led to them talking about his work and her classes and how they both arrived to this point of their lives.   
  
Which led to them getting to know each other more.   
  
Which led to acquaintanceship.   
  
Which led to, eventually,  _ friendship _ .   
  
Which is nothing that Yachi  _ ever _ expected.   
  
And they are friends, yes. She’s visited him and his restaurant even after the logo was completed. They’ve talked about their lives and they’ve learned that they’re a little entwined- that his brother is on the same volleyball team as her friend and that they’ve both been near each other long before the storm without even knowing.   
  
Osamu has let her use his restaurant as a place to study and he’s been kind enough to let her linger after hours when she’s been  _ so close _ to finishing her projects and needs just another hour to complete it. She’s helped him close down the store and she’s helped him prep for the next day and together they’ve cleaned up and they’ve…   
  
Well, they’ve become  _ unexpectedly _ close.   
  
Which is...nice.   
  
Osamu is nice- and that’s unexpected.   
  
He’s teasing, yes, but it’s not in a  _ mean _ way. He’s calming somehow, too- even if she’s heard him cuss a blue streak when something has gone too wrong too fast. Yachi likes the love that he pours into his work and she likes the creativity he shows as he concocts new flavors and really, truly, she likes  _ him _ .   
  
He’s become a stable presence in her life.   
  
And Yachi is thankful for that.   
  


* * *

  
“Yacchan, you going to pick up some food from Miya-san?”   
  
Yachi blinks and she smiles over her shoulder at Yamaguchi, nods as she tugs her shoe on.   
  
“Yeah,” she tells him. “He told me he has a new flavor.”   
  
Yamaguchi hums and he leans against the wall of the hallway, watches as she stands and tugs on her jacket along with a light scarf.   
  
“I feel like you’ve been going there a lot more recently,” he comments. Yachi blinks over at him and shrugs a little, thinking it may be true- she has had more free time and a little bit more money to put toward spending at her favorite restaurant.   
  
“I guess? Maybe?”   
  
Another hum as Yachi takes her wallet and keys from their catch-all and stuffs them into her jacket pocket.   
  
“...you know,” Yamaguchi says slowly, grabbing her attention before she can leave, “he’s pretty cute.”   
  
_ That _ has Yachi blinking again- rapidly and in three consecutive little flutters. Her eyes widen, just a little, and she turns her head before Yamaguchi can see, hides a tiny flush and a bitten lip.   
  
_ Not cute, no _ , she thinks.  _ Handsome. Osamu is so very  _ **_handsome_ ** _. _   
  
“...he is,” Yachi admits in a mumble. “A lot of people think so.”   
  
And they do; Yachi has heard several customers whisper about the onigiri shop owner and his more than attractive looks. She knows that people find Atsumu handsome, too, and they’re  _ twins _ so it’s really just...it’s really just  _ general consensus _ that Osamu is a handsome man.   
  
She can’t be blamed for thinking that, right? It doesn’t make her a bad friend for quietly admiring her friend’s looks when they’re so obvious, right?   
  
Right?   
  
Before Yamaguchi can push the subject, Yachi grabs onto the door handle and opens it up.   
  
“I’ll be back in a bit!”   
  
“Yacchan-”   
  
As horribly rude as it is and as guilty as it makes her feel, Yachi quickly steps out into the hallway and shuts the door, cuts off whatever Yamaguchi was about to say before it can really be let out into the world.   
  
She tries very hard to be a good friend to Osamu; she doesn’t want to be swayed into something that could potentially cost her someone she’s come to care for.   
  
(Which is something her mind frets over a  _ lot _ these days.   
  
She likes Osamu. She likes his company, his food, his little grins, his laughter, his big hands and his stubborn heart. She likes his passion to his work and she likes his devotion to his craft. She likes how he always manages to have a stall at his brother’s games even if he claims that Atsumu is the “biggest turd in the world.” She likes how warm his skin is whenever it happens to brush against hers and she likes how he always smells clean and faintly of freshly cooked rice.   
  
She likes him. She likes his presence. She likes him in her life.   
  
She doesn’t want to lose him.)   
  
Yachi takes a big breath and she begins to walk down the hallway and out of the building.   
  
It’s not as chilly as she expected it to be. There’s been a bit of a cold snap lately but, right now, it feels nice. Wind blows through the streets, but it’s in a very lazy way- idly kicking up crunchy leaves and swirling around bits of paper that have been discarded. There’s just a tiny, faint nip to the breezes that ruffle her hair, but that’s nice, Yachi thinks. It makes her want to get hot chocolate; it makes her feel like it’s  _ really  _ fall.   
  
Gosh, and it  _ is _ fall, isn’t it? It doesn’t seem like it should be. It feels like just yesterday that she got caught in that surprise of a spring storm.   
  
...has she really known Osamu for this long already? Has it really been four, five, six months?   
  
It’s gone by so fast.   
  
Yachi hums, softly, and steps out of the way so a mother and child can pass. She sticks her hands in her pockets as she walks and lets herself smile faintly at the realization of how the year has flown by.   
  
She wonders, idly, if she’s changed at all during this passing of time. She’s gained Osamu’s friendship, yes, and there’s been a certain amount of peace that has come with that, but has there been anything more? Has she gotten smarter or more brave or a little bit more calm?   
  
Maybe, maybe- who is she to say?   
  
Yachi hums, again, and her smile grows as the red banner of Onigiri Miya flutters into her line of sight.   
  
The bell dings softly as she lets herself in. It’s warmer in the restaurant and thankfully without a crowd. (Though, that makes her feel bad too- she wants Osamu’s store to thrive. It’s selfish to want it to be calm and sparsely filled when she comes to visit just so she can enjoy the quiet and maybe get the chance to chat with Osamu.)   
  
There’s no one at the counter when she passes through the door but, as she steps into the building, a familiar face wearing a small grin comes back from the kitchen.   
  
“Hey, pumpkin. Nice to see ya.”   
  
_ Pumpkin _ .   
  
Yachi’s cheeks flare with predictable heat and Osamu laughs behind the counter, grins a little wider when Yachi shoots him a (pleased) pout.   
  
Along with being caught in storms and gaining friendship, being granted the nickname  _ pumpkin _ is something that Yachi never, ever expected to happen.   
  
(It might be something she’s been secretly thrilled over, though. She might not understand why the nickname turned out to be  _ pumpkin _ , but she enjoys it and she enjoys the way Osamu’s lips tilt up with a grin when it comes tumbling out of his mouth.)   
  
She walks up to the counter and Osamu’s grin stays, his eyes look over her with something like amusement. (Warmth, too, maybe, Yachi wants to think.)   
  
“Is it cold out?” Osamu asks, nodding toward her scarf.   
  
Yachi shakes her head and she takes her wallet out of her pocket, looks up at him.   
  
“No, not really,” Yachi tells him. “It might get chilly later on, but it’s nice right now.”   
  
Osamu hums and he nods and it’s pleasant- mundane but pleasant. She doesn’t mind the small talk that gets the ball rolling between them.   
  
“You said you have a new flavor?” Yachi prompts, tilting her head back a little bit more and squinting at the menu.   
  
“Oh, yeah,” he says. His grin turns a little mischievous when Yachi looks at him and she blinks as he leans forward, puts a hand up to shield his mouth from the other customers. It’s silly, but it makes her smile and she giggles softly into her own hand.   
  
“I haven’t put it on the menu yet,” Osamu murmurs to her. “I thought maybe ya would like ta be the first one ta try it.”   
  
That’s a surprise, but not too big of one- Yachi has become something of a taste tester for Osamu over the past few months. It’s a role that she thoroughly enjoys.   
  
(And is so thoroughly pleased by. It makes her feel...special. He always looks so eager when he offers her a new flavor to try, devotes so much attention to her reaction and comments. The attention makes her  _ glow _ and- as selfish as it might be- Yachi drinks it up happily.)   
  
Yachi blinks and she smiles- her face lighting up over the possibility of a new, untested flavor. She nods to Osamu and he holds a finger up to his lips, shoots her a little wink.   
  
(It nearly makes her melt to the floor, that. Really, Osamu is a  _ very _ attractive man. It’s bad for her heart being around him sometimes- especially when he’s in such a good mood.)   
  
He turns from her and he goes into the kitchen, comes back after just a moment and presses a small bento into her hands.   
  
“Don’t tell the others,” Osamu instructs, jerking his head toward the few customers idly eating in the store. “And let me know how ya like it.”   
  
Yachi nods, again, and she looks over the bento curiously before looking back up at him.   
  
“What flavor is it?” she asks, unable to help herself.   
  
Osamu shakes his head and he grins a little as the faintest pout tugs onto her lips.   
  
“Guess,” he tells her. “Try it and guess.”   
  
Yachi opens her mouth to ask him again, but then the door opens and the tinkling of the bell sounds. She closes her mouth and eyes him, steps out of the way of the new customers and moves to sit herself in a quiet corner.   
  
She takes her jacket off when she gets to the booth and then her scarf, neatly folds them and places them on the seat before sitting down herself. The bento is a newer one, she notices as she looks over it curiously- it’s red and white instead of the black and gold that the other ones usually are.   
  
Did he buy new ones? Is he changing his color scheme?   
  
Yachi wonders over that, inquisitive and interested, as she takes off the thin plastic wrap Osamu had placed over the top of the bento.   
  
She should ask him, she thinks as she picks up one of the onigiri. Maybe she could help him if he’s revamping again?   
  
Yachi hums to herself and she takes a bite out of the onigiri.   
  
She tastes rice...which is to be expected. It’s good rice- fresh and tasty and expertly made. There’s a hint of something sweet to it too- some small scrap of filling she had managed to get a nip of with this bite. Which is...interesting. Osamu hasn’t released any sweet flavors yet- this is definitely something new.   
  
Yachi blinks down at the onigiri, curiosity growing, and takes another bite.   
  
This one has more filling and is definitely more sweet. It’s not overly sweet- not cloying, no. But a proper bite to the filling has Yachi marking it as something solidly sweet and quite unexpected.   
  
She swallows that bite and takes another, tries to start puzzling out what the filling is.   
  
It’s a little...thick? Definitely like some sort of paste. It’s not red bean paste, though- she can strike that out of the running easily. It tastes almost a little...syrupy? Like...oh, yes- it tastes a little bit like maple syrup. And a little bit like brown sugar, too. Breakfast, but not overwhelmingly so? It can’t be, because those are just the background flavors. The main flavor is something else- something sweet but not overly so.   
  
Yachi chews and she thinks, her brows furrowing a little out of concentration.   
  
She knows this taste, she thinks. It’s not one she’s often had but she  _ knows _ it. It’s something Yamaguchi has baked into pie. It’s something that she’s whipped into mousse before. It’s sweet, but not overwhelmingly so and it’s somehow a  _ tiny _ bit savory too? Tasting it reminds her of the weather outside, of scarves and hot chocolate and bright autumn leaves and-   
  
And pumpkins on doorsteps.   
  
Oh.   
  
_ Oh _ .   
  
Yachi blinks and her eyes widen down at the onigiri, her lips part with a shocked inhale as she stares down at orange filling.   
  
It’s...pumpkin. The filling is...pumpkin.   
  
Yachi blinks, bewildered and surprised, and she looks over at the counter- wide eyes searching for Osamu. He isn’t there, though, and she’s left to swallow and look back at her food.   
  
He...he made  _ pumpkin  _ onigiri.   
  
Pumpkin like...pumpkin like his nickname for her.   
  
Yachi’s cheeks begin to warm and she lets out a soft little noise as a blush explodes across her face, as her heart swells and begins to pound in overtime.   
  
It...it doesn’t mean anything, she tells herself. It’s his nickname for her, but it’s also fall now! It could be a nod to the season! It doesn’t have to be about her- it’s selfish to think so! Arrogant!   
  
(Oh, but she  _ wants _ it to be about her. She wants that so  _ bad _ .)   
  
Yachi swallows and she breathes in shakily- giddy, overwhelmed pleasure and greedy, hopeful nerves raking through her to cause her senses to tremble, her body to flush and curl up and twitch with her surprised excitement.   
  
She takes another bite of the onigiri and has to close her eyes with it. A small noise leaves her this time, too, and Yachi tilts her head back against the booth and opens her eyes to stare at a red painted ceiling, the softly illuminated paper lanterns that sway gently as the air conditioner kicks on.   
  
The onigiri is delicious.   
  
Yachi takes a breath to calm herself and then looks back down at the food, bites her lip as her flush and her surprise slowly retreat into something a little less dramatic. Pleasure and something fond are able to bloom once she settles down and Yachi takes another bite of the onigiri- lips twitching into a small smile.   
  
The new flavor is pumpkin. That’s unexpected for so many reasons- she’s never heard of it being a filling for onigiri before; Osamu usually goes for something more savory than sweet; and it correlates to her nickname. There are many reasons for it to be unexpected.    
  
But, as Yachi has learned over these past months, there’s nothing  _ wrong _ with the unexpected. It can be...nice.   
  
Very nice, even.   
  
Yachi slides her gaze toward the counter and watches through her lashes as Osamu interacts with a customer. He’s smiling and he’s handsome and that makes her feel warm inside, makes her lips tilt up with affection.   
  
Seeing him smiling and happy makes it a little less important whether or not the onigiri was made based on the nickname Osamu has bestowed on her. It’s good and it’s tasty and the thought pleases her, yes, but…   
  
Well, friendship has not led to anything more and, for once, Yachi is not expecting anything.   
  
She’s happy right now, like this- tasting her friend’s new flavors and sitting in a cozy restaurant that makes her feel so content and comfortable. She doesn’t  _ need  _ more- even if the thought is nice, even if she would happily accept any offer for more- and she certainly isn’t going to expect more.   
  
Her mind has calmed since she’s met him; it would be a shame to let it whip into a frenzy and make her a flustered mess.   
  
It would be a disservice to their friendship to expect more.   
  
Yachi nods to herself in one small movement- determined and not entirely aware of the action. She picks up the second onigiri and begins to eat it slowly, smiles to herself as her mind wanders to thoughts of autumn festivals and late nights, cheery pumpkin farms and the taste of apple cider. She thinks to mention that to Osamu- stalls at festivals and promoting pumpkin farms with this new flavor, adding apple cider to the menu- and her smile turns soft, happy.   
  
Yachi never expected to be sitting in a booth eating pumpkin onigiri and carrying the nickname of the flavor herself. She never expected storms or food filled friendship or the warmth that a wry smile can bring.   
  
But, that’s okay. That’s more than okay.   
  
Yachi thinks that she prefers the unexpected to the expected.   
  
Humming and smiling, Yachi works her way through the rest of the onigiri and enjoys the quiet, unanticipated surprise the afternoon has brought her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Dear Osamu,_
> 
> _I’m sorry for leaving before we could talk! I wanted to stick around and let you know how much I enjoyed the onigiri, but the shop was getting full and I didn’t want to be rude and take up space._
> 
> _The onigiri was delicious! I never thought to imagine a pumpkin filling before! It was really interesting to try and I think it’ll be a favorite if you put it on the menu._
> 
> _Thank you for letting me taste test it :)_
> 
> _Yours,  
>  Yachi”_
> 
> Beside her name, there’s a doodle of a pumpkin. Beside the pumpkin, there’s a small flurry of hearts. It’s fucking _adorable_ and Osamu can’t help putting a hand to his chest, fisting the fabric of his shirt as he grins.
> 
> _Fuck._ She’s cute. She’s so fucking _cute._

A full shop is a happy shop- that’s what Osamu believes.   
  
He loves when his restaurant is full. He loves when it’s stuffed to the brim with hungry customers. He loves looking around and seeing so many faces lit up in delight as patrons stuff their mouths with his food.   
  
He _loves_ it. It’s what he’s worked hard to achieve and he takes _pride_ in a packed house.   
  
...usually.   
  
Today...not so much.   
  
Osamu huffs out an impatient breath as another order is slapped onto the counter. He eyes it and immediately goes to start making it, frowns when he looks through the divider and he can’t see one particular blonde (and cute and sweet and heart meltingly adorable) customer any more.   
  
His frown deepens and Osamu slumps as he reaches for a box of ingredients.   
  
“Hey now, boss! Hey! Don’t look so blue!”   
  
There’s a smack given to his shoulder- stinging but friendly, meant to cheer him up. Osamu still winces over it, just a little, and he clicks his tongue as he slides his gaze over at Yukie.   
  
“‘M not down in tha dumps,” he huffs at her. “Just waitin’ for this rush ta settle.”   
  
She cocks her head at him, looking puzzled, and Osamu turns his attention back to the onigiri he’s making.   
  
Of course she looks puzzled- he usually relishes these rushes. He’s usually grinning and excited and throwing himself into the work like it’s the best thing in the world.   
  
And it is- usually.   
  
Today, though...today it kind of _ruined_ things.   
  
Osamu had a Plan for the day.   
  
1) Make Yachi her special onigiri   
2) Text her about said onigiri and hope she shows up   
3) Give her the onigiri under the guise of her taste testing it   
4) Slide into the booth as she’s eating the onigiri and casually tell her that he developed it just for _her_   
5) Watch her inevitably blush and then flirt a little more before bringing up the fact that he’s been wanting to develop a flavor for her for a while   
6) Segway into the fact that he’s been wanting _her_ for a while   
7) Finally ask her on a date   
8) _Hopefully_ profit   
  
A simple plan. An easy plan. A plan that he should have been able to pull off without a hitch.   
  
A plan he _could_ have pulled off without a hitch if it weren’t for the rush.   
  
A sigh leaves Osamu and he places a perfectly formed onigiri on a dish, moves to start making another.   
  
Well...he can wait to execute things later.   
  
...he does wish that he knew if she liked the onigiri or not, though.   
  
Osamu frowns and he packs the rice a little too hard, has to start over again.   
  
“Aw, boss, cheer up! Yacchan looked happy when she was eatin’!”   
  
It’s an arm thrown around his shoulder this time- Yukie pulling him into a side hug and grinning at him when he turns his head to look at her. Her eyes are twinkling, mischievous, but she looks sincere too and, hey, maybe it’s not such a bad thing that all his employees know that he’s a friggin’ chump for Yachi Hitoka.   
  
“Yeah,” comes another voice. When Osamu lifts his gaze, he finds Bobata’s head poking through the divider. The man grins at Osamu and Osamu has to click his tongue over all the reassurance.   
  
It makes him feel pathetic. Warm, yeah, but _pathetic_.   
  
“She only left ‘cause it got busy,” Bobata tells him. He sticks a skinny arm through the divider and Osamu raises a brow at a piece of paper waved in front of his face, snatches it up without a second thought. “She left this for you.”   
  
_Well then_.   
  
Osamu’s brow raises and he nudges Yukie off of him, steps to the side as she huffs.   
  
“Thanks,” he tells Bobata. The man grins and Osamu clicks his tongue when Yukie tries to reach for the note. “Enough, though. Y’all get back ta work- we’ve got hungry customers.”   
  
They both end up whining out a “ _fine_ ” that Osamu ignores in favor of stepping out of the kitchen and into his office. He closes the door and locks it, flops himself onto his desk chair.   
  
He hadn’t expected Yachi to leave him a note, but that’s...nice. Cute. Very in line with her particular brand of friendly care.   
  
Osamu smiles to himself, just a little, and starts to read the note.   
  
“Dear Osamu,   
  
I’m sorry for leaving before we could talk! I wanted to stick around and let you know how much I enjoyed the onigiri, but the shop was getting full and I didn’t want to be rude and take up space.   
  
The onigiri was delicious! I never thought to imagine a pumpkin filling before! It was really interesting to try and I think it’ll be a favorite if you put it on the menu.   
  
Thank you for letting me taste test it :)   
  
Yours,   
Yachi”   
  
Beside her name, there’s a doodle of a pumpkin. Beside the pumpkin, there’s a small flurry of hearts. It’s fucking _adorable_ and Osamu can’t help putting a hand to his chest, fisting the fabric of his shirt as he grins.   
  
_Fuck_. She’s cute. She’s so fucking _cute_.   
  
The doodles and the way she put “ _Yours_ ”....god- talk about a K-O.   
  
Ah, shit. _Shit_. He’s really too weak to that little sweetheart.   
  
...he’s really glad that he took her home that stormy night. He’s really glad that she stuck to him like glue- stubborn and apologetic and sweet in her determination to repay him.   
  
He’s even more glad that she’s stuck around since then- even if she’s turned him into a mushy _sap_ that all of his employees take way too much pleasure in teasing.   
  
Osamu huffs to himself and he smiles, looking over the note with eyes that are probably a bit too soft.   
  
He traces his fingertip over her name and then puts the note into his wallet- right behind the rough sketch of his new and improved logo that she had scrawled for him on a napkin.   
  
...ah, he’s gotta ask her out. He’s just _gotta_.   
  
Osamu takes a deep breath and tilts his head back, closes his eyes for a moment.   
  
...he still has time to make his plan work. He just has to admit to her that he spent thirty plus hours cultivating a recipe because he’s hip-deep in a months old crush. He just has to get the balls to ask her out on a date.   
  
Which he can do. Which he _will_ do.   
  
Another breath and Osamu slides his phone out of his pocket, starts typing out a message to the sweetheart that’s made his life just a little bit brighter.   
  


* * *

  
  
At ten o’clock at night, Onigiri Miya closes its door and begins to shut down.   
  
The remaining employees help Osamu clean up the kitchen and prep for opening the next day, but he shoos them out of the door and on home once that’s done. They’d stick around to help him wipe down the dining room, he knows, but that’s something he likes to do himself.   
  
And, well, he wants the shop to be _empty_ by the time his favorite customer wanders in.   
  
Yachi arrives at ten thirty- five minutes after he had kicked his employees out, three minutes after he had hurriedly wiped down her favorite booth and scrubbed his face clean in the bathroom. The bell announces her arrival with a faint _jingle_ and Osamu looks over at her much too fast to appear casual, bites his inner cheek when she smiles at him- cheeks light pink and dimples flashing.   
  
Cute. Friggin’ _cute_.   
  
He nods his head toward the booth and she goes over to it without a second thought- sits down in her favored seat and watches as he hurries to throw a rag in the cleaning closet.   
  
His heart might beat a little fast when he goes to join her, but the blush that flares on her cheeks helps calm him down.   
  
He thinks that she might like him back- is pretty sure of it, actually. Yachi is pretty freakin’ obvious with her blushes and her shy smiles and the way she gasps so softly when their hands brush against each other. She’s obvious and he’s obvious, too, probably. She’s must have caught him watching her out of the corner of his eye; she’s must have seen the way he prepares her food with the upmost care; she’s must have seen how his smiles get stupid soft whenever she laughs; she’s must have noticed that she’s the only person that he devotes his attention to outside of work and that she’s the only one he’s ever let taste his experiments, given sneak peeks to.   
  
He’s obvious, definitely. Just as obvious as she is.   
  
That doesn’t mean he’s not a little nervous, though. It doesn’t mean his heart’s not jittery as he smiles at her and thinks, _god, she’s so cute- I just wanna kiss her._   
  
God, he’s turned into such a sap.   
  
Osamu takes a breath and he slides into the seat across from him, smiles in greeting as she does. There’s already a little blush on her face- something small and faint but cute- and Osamu’s smiles flicks into a grin as he soaks it in.   
  
Maybe she’s already guessed what the onigiri meant? If she did, it’s a good sign that she showed up, right?   
  
Yeah...yeah. It’s a good sign.   
  
Another breath and Osamu grins at her, lets his lips fall into something lazy.   
  
“Hey, pumpkin. How ya doin’?”   
  
Her faint blush burns a bit brighter at the nickname. Osamu likes that, likes that it makes him feel a bit more hopeful. Yachi is _cute_ whenever she blushes and he really enjoys the way her lashes flutter- just so- whenever he indulges in his pet name for her.   
  
She’s so obvious and he’s so glad that he’s the one bringing out those reactions from her.   
  
“I-I’m good,” she tells him, murmuring and shy. He hasn’t heard her voice dip so soft in such a long time- not after they started meeting to discuss his logo, not since she started helping him after hours and staying late for food and lazy talks.   
  
He likes her soft voice. It’s been ages since she’s been shy with him- she’s long grown past that- but he still likes it, thinks she’s adorable as looks up at him through her lashes.   
  
“I’m sorry I had to leave before I could talk to you again,” Yachi continues- still soft but now apologetic rather than shy.   
  
He shakes his head because it’s fine. It really is- even if he had been disappointed earlier.   
  
It’s probably better this way, he thinks. No one around to watch them.   
  
“‘S fine,” he assures her. “It got busy.” Yachi hums her response and Osamu eyes her, tilts his head and wets his lips with his tongue as his heart pounds a little hard in anticipation. “...how’d ya like it?”   
  
Her dying blush flares back to life and Osamu has to hide his grin behind his hand as she flusters so quietly before him.   
  
“It- it was really good,” Yachi tells him, not able to meet his eyes. She bites her lip and Osamu watches as her shoulders hunch a little, as she takes a deep breath. “It was...unexpected. But delicious. I…” She clears her throat only to swallow hard after and Osamu softens a little when he realizes that she might be _bewildered_ by it all.  
  
Had she really not realized his feelings? Had she really not noticed how he turns into such a soft pile of mush whenever she sends a smile his way?  
  
Maybe he hadn't been as obvious as he thought he was.  
  
“I...I didn’t expect the new flavor to be _pumpkin_ ,” she mumbles after a moment- voice tinting soft and sweet and maybe even a little embarrassed. Her eyes rise to meet his then, but they flit away almost immediately. “Um...what was- what was your inspiration?”   
  
Osamu eyes her and takes in flushed cheeks, clasped hands, a bitten lip and the cautiously _hopeful_ look in her pretty brown eyes. He doubts she realizes how she’s letting her longing settle all over her body, her face.   
  
But, that’s okay. It calms his nerves. Makes him think that, yeah, crafting onigiri after her and using it to finally work up to _this_ was a good idea.   
  
Osamu licks his lips and then he smiles, leans toward Yachi over the booth and watches as her eyes dart up, widen by a tiny fraction.   
  
“It was you, of course,” he tells her- honest and truthful and with a grin to hide his tiny little anxieties rippling under his skin. “What else would inspire me ta make ‘em other than _my_ pumpkin?”   
  
He doesn’t actually mean for it to come out like that. Not teasing and bordering on a little possessive, arrogant. He sounds like Atsumu, a bit, and that makes his grimace internally.   
  
...but not too badly because, _fuck_ , the way her eyes widen and her lips fall apart and her face brightens even as she flushes to a color he’s not seen before just makes him _light up_.   
  
Yeah, yeah- she likes him too.   
  
Oh, thank _god_.   
  
Osamu grins at her and, yeah, it might be a little lazy and pleased and triumphant. Yachi just stares at him- flushed and gaping- and squeaks when he gets up from the seat, flusters and sputters as he slides in next to her.   
  
“You are my pumpkin, yeah?” Osamu asks, grin growing a little softer and his heart pounding in his ears. She doesn’t pull away when he leans in closer and only lets out a soft, soft noise when his fingers run over the back of her hand. He clasps it, loosely and gently, and Yachi swallows at the touch, looks up at him with a shocked, _pleased_ stare.   
  
“Yer really cute, Hitoka,” he tells her, voice dipping close to a murmur. Another soft noise at her given name, a flutter of lashes. “...I wanted ta make ya somethin’ ta show ya how I feel.”   
  
He squeezes her hand- lightly and carefully- and watches as she shudders a little, watches as her eyes grow soft and her blush flushes to something tender. She leans closer to him and Osamu takes the chance to cup her cheek, press his forehead against hers and smile.   
  
“So what do ya say?” he asks, thumbing over her cheek and tilting her head up just a little bit more. “Can ya tell how much I like ya? Can ya tell that I want ya ta be mine?”   
  
Yachi’s lashes flutter at the questions and Osamu swallows as he looks over her face. She’s so close like this- so sweet and soft and warm. He wants to kiss her, badly, but he knows that he shouldn’t push that much, knows that he needs to wait for her answer.   
  
Luckily enough, her answer is exactly what he wants- a soft, quick press of her lips against his, a shy and happy smile when she pulls back and ducks her head.   
  
“I...I can tell,” she whispers. Her hand squeezes his and Osamu grins when she peeks her gaze back up at him. “And I...I’d like that. A lot. Please.”   
  
_Please_. God, she’s too cute. God, she’s too much.   
  
Osamu laughs- happy and maybe a bit too loud- and he pulls her close, kisses her again.   
  
  
Outside, a jack o'lantern lights up the dark- warm and cheery and shining like a beacon of hope and new love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry not sorry- i'm weak to osamu (and atsumu) having an accent


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yachi swallows, eyes maybe a bit wide as Osamu approaches her. He flashes her a gorgeous little grin and Yachi’s blush burns over her cheeks when he leans down and presses his lips against hers- quick, chaste, sweet and unexpected.
> 
> “Hey, pumpkin. How ya doin’?”

“Yacchan, you’ve changed your sweater three times already.”   
  
Yachi blushes at the call out and turns around to face Yamaguchi- a little pout on her lips that quickly disappears as her flustered, excited, giddy anxiety has her letting out a tiny whine.   
  
“I just want to look nice,” Yachi mumbles, clutching the sweater to her chest a bit too tightly. “It’s...it’s our first _date_ …”   
  
She feels her cheeks heat up even more as the word _date_ trips from her mouth. Yamaguchi smiles at her- amused but softened enough that it doesn’t make her feel teased- and he steps into the room, places his hands on her shoulders.   
  
“You look nice,” he tells her. “Like always. And I’m sure Osamu-san is going to be more interested in spending time with you rather than what you’re wearing.”   
  
Yachi frowns a little, teeth worrying at her lip and brow creased. She takes a breath and nods after a moment, though, sighs and only halfway forces a smile on her face.   
  
“...you’re right,” Yachi relents- even if she’s sure that a nice outfit is important for a First Date. “I’m just...nervous.”   
  
“Don’t be,” Yamaguchi tells her- orders, really. “The man crafted a new onigiri flavor for you. You know that he likes you and you two have long passed the get to know each other phase. It’s going to be fine and fun and you have _nothing_ to worry about.”   
  
Yamaguchi is so confident- voice firm and sure and without a doubt. It makes Yachi feel a little bit better and she nods again even though restless, anxious jitters ripple through her.   
  
Everything Yamaguchi is saying is true. She’s just...nervous. It’s been a long, long, _long_ time since she’s been on a date. She’s thankful that Osamu has already kissed her, at least- or, well, that _she_ kissed him.   
  
(Which she _still_ can’t believe she had done. She can count on one hand the number of times she’s been the one to kiss someone else and it’s, well.   
  
It wasn’t something she had thought she would do with him. But, it had turned out okay and the kisses that followed after had been nice as well.   
  
She doesn’t have to fret over kisses now and, hopefully, she won’t have to deal with the giddy apprehension of wondering _will he-won’t he_ while they’re on their date.)   
  
Yachi takes a breath and she smiles up at Yamaguchi. This time it’s not even a quarter forced and he squeezes her shoulder at the display, lets her go.   
  
“You’ll be fine,” he tells her, again, because he knows that she’s still nervous and is kind enough to give her reassurance. “Relax. Let yourself have fun.”   
  
Fun. She does want to have fun.   
  
With Osamu.   
On their first date.   
  
Another breath and Yachi nods, smiles when her friend offers one of his own.   
  
“I will,” she promises. “Thank you, Tadashi.”   
  
Yamaguchi nods and he leaves her be, closes the door behind him on the way out. Yachi turns to look in the mirror and she bites her lip as she takes in her appearance.   
  
...maybe she’ll just try _one more_ sweater before heading out.   
  
Yachi goes to her closet and starts rifling through her clothes.   
  


* * *

  
In the end, Yachi does not wear a sweater but a sweater _dress_. It’s casual and soft, but she’s been complimented when wearing it before so she knows she looks good in it. Underneath it, she has on her favorite tights- wine colored fabric pinstriped with tiny columns of black diamonds- and she has worn, but comfortable boots on her feet. There’s a scarf around her neck as well- along with a belt cinched around her waist that she had put on at the very last minute before rushing out of the house.   
  
Yamaguchi had shouted a compliment at her as she had bolted out of the door and Yachi thinks- hopes- that she looks okay.   
  
She wants to make a good impression.   
  
(Not that she needs to, the rational part of her mind points out. She’s already made her impression on Osamu; what she wears isn’t going to change anything.)   
  
(The anxious part of her mind argues that she can’t look bad on her first date with him and that there’s still time for Osamu to drop the whole thing- and her.)   
  
(Yachi tries to listen to the rational part of her mind; she doesn’t want to ruin the date with her insecurities.   
  
And she really just wants to have a good time with someone that she likes- with someone that likes _her_.)   
  
Yachi takes a deep breath and tries to calm her nerves, smooths her hand over the fabric of her dress. Doing something with her hands helps a little bit and she takes another breath to try to help ease her apprehension.   
  
She really shouldn’t be so nervous. Osamu isn’t nervous about this- probably, she thinks; she can’t really see _him_ fretting over anything- and she shouldn’t be either.    
  
Another deep breath and Yachi glances around the street.    
  
She had come out a little earlier than necessary. Osamu had probably planned to come upstairs when he arrived, but Yachi isn’t really _quite_ ready yet for him to see her apartment or for Yamaguchi to send her teasing grins over Osamu’s shoulders.   
  
That can come another time.   
  
(There _will_ be another time, she tells herself firmly before her anxiety can flare up again.)   
  
It takes a couple of minutes, but Osamu’s truck appears on the street. Yachi gulps when she sees it and her heart flusters and pounds as it gets closer and closer, but there’s some excitement in her as well.   
  
He hasn’t said what they’re doing yet. She’s been curious all day.   
  
Osamu parks and gets out of the truck before she can make her way to it. Her cheeks flush when he rounds the cab of the truck and, oh- oh _god_ -, does he look _handsome_.   
  
Yachi has never seen Osamu in a flannel and skinny jeans before. She really, really, really likes this look, she thinks, and she really, really, really would like to see him in this again.   
  
And again. And _again_.   
  
(It’s a _very_ good look on him.)   
  
Yachi swallows, eyes maybe a bit wide as Osamu approaches her. He flashes her a gorgeous little grin and Yachi’s blush burns over her cheeks when he leans down and presses his lips against hers- quick, chaste, sweet and unexpected.   
  
“Hey, pumpkin. How ya doin’?”   
  
Yachi blinks up at him, cheeks flushed and eyes wide, and all of a sudden her anxiety vanishes, her nervousness bleeds out.   
  
Yachi smiles up at him- happy and pink cheeked and big enough that the corners of her eyes crinkle up.   
  
“I’m good,” she tells him. It only holds a small trace of shyness and Yachi bites her lips to stem the giddiness that has rushed in to take place of her anxiety. “I’m really good.”   
  
Osamu’s grin grows and Yachi’s heart melts at the sight.   
  
He’s so handsome.   
  
She feels so lucky.   
  
Osamu takes her hand in his and he leads her to the truck- the pair of them smiling as they walk.   
  


* * *

  
  
He ends up taking her to a farm just outside the city. Osamu admits that he thought about taking her to a pumpkin patch, but had decided it might be just a little too cheesy.   
  
(Yachi doesn’t think so and wonders if she could manage to go with him to one before they shut down for the season.)   
  
The farm is pretty, Yachi thinks. Rustic and drenched in orange and red and brown. There are other people wandering around- workers and couples and families- and Yachi relaxes when she realizes that they’re not intruding or anything.   
  
When they get out of the truck, Osamu takes her hand again and Yachi’s heart skips a beat when his fingers twine through hers.   
  
“So, I got us a spot for tha hayride,” Osamu informs her, absently squeezing her hand. “There’s a corn maze at tha end if ya wanna do that an’ a pettin’ zoo too. I was thinkin’ after we finish up here we could pick up some dinner an’ watch a movie at my place?”   
  
His accent is coming out heavier today, Yachi notices. She doesn’t know _why_ it is, but she doesn’t mind it- it’s cute, in its own way, and she likes how he slurs his words just a little bit.   
  
Yachi looks up at him and she smiles, nods.   
  
“That sounds really nice,” she tells him.   
  
She thinks, maybe, that she sees something like _relief_ flash across his face. She’s not sure, though, and she doubts that he would need a reason for it to appear.   
  
He picked out such a good first date. It feels a little mean, but she hadn’t expected something so...cute.   
  
It’s nice.   
  
Yachi smiles to herself and lets him tug her toward a hay wagon. He says something to one of the employees and they get checked off a list with a nod. Osamu has to help her climb up into the wagon and that’s a little embarrassing- flustering, too, when his hands find her waist to stabilize her once he pulls her up. They stay like that, just for a second- his big hands on her waist and hers on his chest, his eyes half-shut and a tiny smile on his face- but then they have to move so another couple can climb up as well.   
  
Osamu nudges her to a hay bale and they sit down on it together- his arm wrapping loosely around her shoulder and their thighs touching. She can smell his cologne so close and it makes her flush, but it smells _good_ and _nice_ and Yachi works past some shyness to scoot just a _tiny_ bit closer and lean against him.   
  
Osamu looks down at her- face handsome and holding a grin- and his arm wraps a bit more firmly around her shoulders.   
  
The rest of the passengers pile onto the wagon and then they head off.   
  
It’s a beautiful ride. The weather is nice and the farm is charming, Osamu is _warm_ against her. Yachi smiles as they’re taken around the farm and she leans her head against Osamu’s chest, points to things that please and interest her and comments about them in a soft voice so she doesn’t disturb the others.   
  
When Osamu responds to her murmurs, it’s in a low voice- something that makes warmth pool in Yachi’s stomach and her body relax.   
  
The hayride is perfect- warm with the sun shining down on them, pretty with the picturesque scenery, peaceful but fun with the way Osamu makes her giggle when he points out a funny scarecrow in a propeller hat to her in the distance.   
  
Yachi is reluctant to leave the wagon once the ride ends, but then she remembers the corn maze and the petting zoo and she happily clambers off. Osamu helps her off just as he had helped her on and Yachi blushes, just lightly, whenever she ends up closer to him than expected, when his hands lightly squeeze at her waist.   
  
“Do ya wanna see tha pettin’ zoo first or tha maze?” he asks her, not letting go quite yet.   
  
Yachi bites her lip at the prolonged touch, but she finds that she doesn’t mind it. It’s nice, actually, and his hands feel big on her- in a way that makes her spine tingle.   
  
“The petting zoo,” Yachi decides. “Please?”   
  
His lips pull into a half-smile and Yachi feels her own curl in contentment when his hand finds hers again.   
  
She thinks that she might like that more than his hands at her waist, maybe.   
  
They wander over to the petting zoo and it’s _really_ hard not to squeal over the goats and sheep and geese. Yachi accidentally squeezes Osamu’s hand in her excitement and she barely notices the way he chuckles at her wide, eager eyes.   
  
This time, Yachi is the one to tug them along.   
  
She doesn’t even think about it, really. Yachi leads him over to the enclosures and she _does_ end up letting out a tiny, constrained squeal at the tiny goat that trots on over to the fence. It’s brown and white and it looks _so_ cute as it presses against the fence and lets out an expectant little noise.   
  
Yachi blinks, looking over when Osamu’s hand slips from hers, but smiles when he walks over to the feeder and pays for a bag.   
  
She doesn’t think she wants to feed them- she’s nervous over hungry teeth- but Yachi’s heart trips over a beat at Osamu trying to indulge her excitement.   
  
He’s...sweet. Much sweeter than she had ever expected.   
  
Yachi turns back to the animals and she tentatively reaches to pet the goat, smiles and marvels when it butts its head gently against her palm.   
  
“I think it likes ya,” Osamu tells her, popping up by her side again. Yachi hums, enraptured and running a finger over the tiny bumps where horns are slowly starting to grow. “Wanna feed it?”   
  
Yachi flicks her gaze up at him and her (ridiculous) anxiety must show; he huffs and he pours some of the feed into his palm, sticks his hand into the enclosure. The goat immediately moves from Yachi and she watches the greedy thing nibble at the food- snuffling against Osamu’s palm and chewing loudly.   
  
“They won’t bite,” Osamu tells her, petting over the goat with his free hand. “It tickles a lil, but they’re not gonna bite ya.”   
  
Yachi hesitates, uncertain, and Osamu moves closer to her, places a hand to the small of her back and uses the other to lift up one of hers. Yachi looks up at him and hesitation flutters through her, but somehow rationality over the fact that these _sweet_ , _well trained_ animals will not bite her wins over. Yachi decides to trust Osamu’s words and she nods, cups hand.   
  
The smile that Osamu flashes her way is encouraging and Yachi ducks her head over it- she is a grown woman; she shouldn’t need encouragement just to feed an animal. He pours some of the feed into her palm and Yachi takes a deep breath, holds it as she cautiously sticks her hand into the enclosure.   
  
The goat doesn’t come to her, but a sheep does. It’s big and cute and Yachi’s eyes go wide when it bleats. The touch of its muzzle is softer than she had expected and Yachi gulps nervously as it sniffs over the food she’s offering.   
  
She calms down when Osamu rubs her back and gets so distracted by his touch that she doesn’t notice the sheep eating from her palm until teeth scrape against her skin. It doesn’t hurt and it doesn’t come anywhere close to a bite, but Yachi squeaks in surprise and turns her attention back onto the animal. The sheep just continues eating- ignoring her wide eyes and her bitten lip- and Yachi slowly relaxes under Osamu’s continuing little rubs.   
  
It does tickle, just a bit, as the sheep eats and Yachi giggles at the sensation, leans back against Osamu without realizing.   
  
When the food is gone, the sheep _baa’s_ at Yachi and then ambles off. Yachi smiles after it and thinks that that wasn’t so bad- definitely not worth her previous apprehension.   
  
She tilts her head back to look at Osamu and he surprises her by pressing his lips to her forehead. Before she can fluster too badly, he smiles down at her and asks, “Ya wanna try feedin’ another?”   
  
Yachi blushes, but it’s light and her lips spread wide with a beam as she nods.   
  
“Yes,” she tells him. “Please.”   
  
Osamu grins and he tilts some more feed into her hand, places his free one against the small of her back once more.   
  


* * *

  
  
They work their way through all of the animals- feeding them in turn and laughing at how the greedy things try to bump one another out of the way in an effort to get at the food. It’s cute and it’s fun petting them, it’s flustering but pleasing when Osamu takes a photo of her cooing over chickens.   
  
She works up the boldness to take on in return and manages to snap a picture of Osamu petting a pony- his hand looking tan against its grey snout, his face soft with a smile as it eats from his palm.   
  
It’s a really good photo and Yachi’s heart skips a beat or two or three when she saves it, her cheeks simmer with a blush.   
  
Osamu is so _handsome_.   
  
Once they’re done with the petting zoo, they clean their hands off at a little wash station. Yachi is the one to grab Osamu’s hand this time- once they’re both dry- and she ducks her head at the grin on his face, the content set of his shoulders.   
  
They head to the corn maze, stopping to buy snacks- chocolate and cinnamon dusted almonds for Yachi and a bag of caramel corn for Osamu.   
  
Osamu pays for them despite Yachi’s protests and only sets her a stubborn look when she insists on paying back.   
  
“Pumpkin, we’re on a _date_. Lemme treat ya, darlin’.”   
  
The _darlin_ ’ is so new and startling (and flush inducing and wonderful and horribly, perfectly, heart poundingly _pleasing_ ) that Yachi is knocked silent for a solid minute and a half- her eyes wide and lips parted and cheeks flushed crimson.   
  
Osamu just grins at her and puts the bag of almonds into one of her hands, grabs her other.   
  
He leads her to the entrance of the corn maze and Yachi blinks at it- caught in a daze and still flushed, flustered and shocked in such a _good_ way.   
  
Osamu is so surprisingly...sweet. _Soft_. He’s not- he’s not _soft_ soft. But he’s softer than expected- more romantic than she thought and _delightfully_ sappy under his casual charm.   
  
He’s almost too much.   
  
She really doesn’t know how she managed to garner his interest.   
  
Uncertainty curls in her and she lets out a soft noise when the thought of _I’m not good enough for him_ pops into her head. It’s unwelcome and a voice like Yamaguchi's echoes in her mind and calls that thought _stupid_ and _ridiculous_.   
  
With the way Osamu looks at her- lips quirked into a half-smile and eyes warm- Yachi thinks she can agree with that.   
  
Yachi pushes her insecurity away and lets Osamu pull her through the maze.   
  
They drop their hands so they can munch on their snacks, but they still stay close to each other- Yachi’s shoulder occasionally brushing against his arm.   
  
The maze is surprisingly big. Not as quiet as Yachi would have thought- she can hear the rustle of leaves occasionally, sounds of frustration and little giggles. That’s fine, though, and Yachi smiles as they wander through.   
  
“What kind of food were you thinking about for dinner?” Yachi asks, twisting her bag of almonds close and tucking it into her purse.   
  
Osamu shrugs a little, jaw moving as he chews on his popcorn and Yachi suddenly wonders what he looks like with stubble, a five o’clock shadow.   
  
The thought makes her flush a little- guilty and embarrassed- and she tries to concentrate instead on the moment.   
  
“It doesn’t matter ta me,” Osamu tells her. “Whatever ya want.”   
  
Yachi pouts because she’s _horrible_ when it comes to picking out food. She kind of hates to be the one the decision comes to, actually, and she wonders if maybe she should point that out- _if_ she can point it out without being rude.   
  
...probably not.   
  
Yachi hums and she thinks for a few moments, huffs with a small smile when they turn a corner and hit a dead end. They pause there and Yachi tilts her head to the side as food options flit through her mind.   
  
“Is Chinese okay?” Yachi asks, peeking up at him. “Or would you rather have something else?”   
  
Osamu shrugs and Yachi blinks when he shifts a little, when a ray of sunshine falls across his face and lights his cheek up gold. He looks gorgeous, too much, and Yachi’s lashes flutter just a bit when his eyes roam over her.   
  
There’s something about that look that has Yachi’s heart tripping in excitement, but she pushes away the feeling as quickly as she can.   
  
It’s _way_ too soon for her to be feeling things like _that_.   
  
(Does he feel them too?)   
  
Yachi tugs on her bottom lip with her teeth and she lowers her gaze when she catches Osamu’s eyes following the movement.   
  
“Chinese is fine,” he tells her. His voice comes out _maybe_ half a pitch lower than normal and Yachi closes her eyes for just a moment, soaks it in.   
  
She opens them again when she feels rough fingertips slip underneath her chin, when her head is tilted up.   
  
“Can I kiss ya?”   
  
The question isn’t unexpected, but Yachi lets out a soft noise all the same. Surprisingly, she doesn’t fluster _too_ badly at it and she nods her answer- careful not to dislodge his fingers.   
  
Those fingers slide to cup her cheek and Yachi lets her eyes fall shut once more when Osamu’s lips meet hers.   
  
It’s a sweet kiss. Warm and lingering, her mouth molding against his. Some part of her squeaks in embarrassment over kissing Osamu in public like this- where anyone could stumble upon them and see. Another part- larger and maybe just a touch greedy- shushes it, though, and Yachi gives herself happily to the kiss.   
  
It’s so...nice. Nice when his other hand slips past her waist and to her lower back, presses her closer. Nice when her fingers curl against the fabric of his shirt and she can feel the firmness of his chest. Nice when a breeze ruffles her hair, has his hold on her tightening just a bit. Nice when he breaks the kiss with the lightest nip to her bottom lip, looks at her with satisfied eyes and tilted lips.   
  
It’s nicer still when his smile grows and he dips back down for another kiss.   
  
Yachi kisses him back- cheeks lightly flushed and her body warm in his hold. She leans up on her tiptoes to make it a little easier for him and Osamu hums against her lips, smooths his hand over her cheek and tangles fingers through her hair.   
  
_That_ has something stirring in her belly and Yachi almost doesn’t care that they’re in a corn maze and in public basically making out.   
  
(On their first date too! No one has ever tried kissing her like this on a first date- this is novel and new. She’s not upset by it- definitely not. Flustered, just a bit, yes, but not _upset_.   
  
It’s nice, kind of, that he’s not treating her as carefully as past dates have. She likes it, she thinks.   
  
She knows for sure that she likes the way his hands feel on her, the low noise that leaves him when her fingers curl into his flannel and tug just a bit.)   
  
Before it can go too far, the sound of loud conversation has them pulling back from one another. They get enough warning to pull apart by the time the couple stumbles on them, but Yachi is still flushed when they pop into view.   
  
They get eyebrows raised their way, but the couple doesn’t comment- they just turn around and walk back the way they came.   
  
Yachi’s blush flares as the pair leave, but she doesn’t break down in her embarrassment- not yet, at least.   
  
Osamu snorts when she peeks up at him- amusement on his lips- and Yachi ends up letting out a small giggle, more as he laughs with her.   
  
Oh my god. Did they really almost get caught making out in public like _teenagers_?   
  
How ridiculous.   
  
Yachi giggles and she leans against Osamu, shoulders shaking as her laughter dies down. He grins when she looks up at him and she smiles back- cheeks pink and mouth tilted in mirth despite the small embarrassment resting in her.   
  
“Ah, maybe we should continue on?” Yachi suggests, voice light and bubbling with leftover laughter.   
  
Osamu huffs, but he nods and he grabs her hand to hold, lace their fingers together.   
  
“Lead tha way, pumpkin.”   
  
Yachi ducks her head, smiling so much her cheeks ache. She holds his hand a bit more firmly and the two of them wander from the dead end, go to try to find an exit.   
  


* * *

  
  
They make it out of the maze after a few more minutes and a couple of false turns. The exit has them coming out by the small parking lot and Yachi and Osamu end up deciding to leave to get food.   
  
“Thank you for taking me here,” Yachi tells Osamu once she’s in the truck and safely seat-belted. “It was really fun.”   
  
Osamu smiles at her, just a bit crooked, and Yachi’s heart _melts_ at the happy look on his face.   
  
He may not be as open as Atsumu about his emotions, but Yachi thinks that Osamu’s are a bit more sincere.   
  
“Twas my pleasure,” Osamu tells her, starting the truck with his smile still in place. “I’m glad ya had a good time.”   
  
A _great_ time. She had a _great_ time.   
  
Yachi hums and they drive out of the parking lot- one of Osamu’s hands on the wheel and the other on Yachi’s knee.   
  
They’re quiet on the ride, but it’s not awkward- just...content, Yachi thinks. Satisfied.   
  
The quiet is only broken when they get into the city. Osamu squeezes her knee at a stoplight and he sends her a smile when she looks at him.   
  
“I didn’t say it earlier, but…”    
  
He pauses, taking a breath, and Yachi blinks when he leans over and presses his lips to her cheek.   
  
“Ya look _really_ cute today, pumpkin.”   
  
The words are mumbled, lips moving against her skin, and Yachi flushes at the compliment, feels something pleased flutter in her chest.   
  
So maybe it _was_ a good thing she had fretted so much when getting ready.   
  
Osamu pulls away from her and Yachi almost wishes he wouldn’t, bites her lip as they start driving again. There’s a cluster of nerves that tries to lodge in her throat, but Yachi looks at him, takes him in, and shyly tells him, “And you look very handsome today.”   
  
His eyes widen, just a bit, and that fills Yachi with an unexpected sense of pleasure and satisfaction. He doesn’t look at her- concentrated on the road and not wrecking them- but Yachi can see the tips of his ears turning just the _tiniest_ hint of pink and that too is satisfying.   
  
She can’t remember the last time _she_ made someone blush.   
  
Teeth digging into her bottom lip, Yachi looks out the window and tries to contain her giddy grin.   
  


* * *

  
  
They make it to his apartment without too many more blushes. They stop to get food on the way and Osamu pays even when Yachi tries to slip her card to the cashier first.   
  
He kisses her when she pouts- this time on the forehead- and she huffs, head ducking and the fight bled from her in exchange for a glowing joy.   
  
Yachi’s nerves from the start of the date hit her again when they get to his apartment, but she tries to push it away in favor of curiosity instead.   
  
She really _is_ curious. She’s never been to Osamu’s apartment before- she has no idea what to expect.   
  
Yachi tries to contain her interest as they take off their shoes, but she fails once he leads her from the entrance way and into a living room. He doesn’t seem to mind her glancing around and Yachi takes that as a go ahead to peer inquisitively when he heads to the kitchen.   
  
It’s not a big apartment, but it’s not small either. Yachi doesn’t dare to explore further than the living room, but she _does_ hesitantly drift around the room to peek at how Osamu has kept it.   
  
There’s a hoodie draped over the back of a grey cloth couch. It looks big- warm- and Yachi has to quickly push away thoughts of trying it on. She concentrates instead on the coffee table- heavy looking, dark, clean with just a remote and a newspaper on it- and the walls- empty except for a random painting of inky black figures, a few photos of himself and Atsumu, someone Yachi assumes is their mother.   
  
Yachi moves closer to study the photo and her lips twitch into a smile when her eyes fall on a younger version of the twins, the proud smile of their mother(?) as she hugs them both close.   
  
Yachi quickly moves away when she hears Osamu walking back from the kitchen and smiles at him- maybe just a little nervous.   
  
(It’s not a _bad_ nervous, she realizes. Just a...hesitant nervous. The same nervous feeling she always gets when going over to someone’s house for the first time. She’s not nervous over him- them- and that’s okay, she thinks.)   
  
“Whadda ya want ta drink?” Osamu asks. He’s rolled up the sleeves up his flannel, forearms now bared, and, _wow,_ that is quite the distraction. Yachi blinks, needing a moment to process the question and Osamu continues on with, “I’ve got some pop and wine and beer and, er, some juice?”   
  
He almost sounds uncertain and that has a smile quirking up on Yachi’s face, her nerves receding.   
  
“Water is fine,” she tells him. She blinks and then just blushes- this time out of guilt rather than surprise or attraction or embarrassment. “I’m sorry- I just let you start things on your own. Is there anything I can do to help?”   
  
Osamu shrugs a little, looking back toward the kitchen, and then to her.   
  
“Help me carry some stuff to tha coffee table?”   
  
Yachi nods and she walks toward the kitchen, footsteps maybe just a bit too quick in an effort to make up for her rudeness.   
  
The kitchen is, of course, fantastic. It’s not _fancy_ or huge, but it’s very well maintained. It’s more organized than Yachi expected and that’s a pleasant surprise. The linen napkins are a pleasant surprise, too, and Yachi smiles when she sees a few on the counter with the Onigiri Miya logo- that logo she helped design- embroidered on them.   
  
That’s cute. Sweet.   
  
The ones that she grabs don’t have the logo on them and she absently wonders if Osamu is thinking about putting the embroidered ones in the store. She doesn’t ask, though, and instead fills her arms with napkins and utensils and food to take out to the coffee table. Osamu follows after her the drinks and plates and the two of them set everything down on the table quietly.   
  
“Sorry,” Osamu says, voice dipping into an uncharacteristic mumble. “I don’t have tha room for a table in tha kitchen.”   
  
Yachi shakes her head and she almost huffs at him, but holds it back.   
  
“I don’t mind,” she tells him, firm but hoping it doesn’t come off as callous. She continues on, voice bright, and smiles his way as she says, “Besides, now we get to watch a movie while we eat.”   
  
Osamu _does_ huff, but he smiles back and the two of them start sorting out the food. It’s an easy enough task and they sit on the couch after- Yachi sitting on one side and Osamu on the other.   
  
She’s unsure about the distance put between them now that they’re sitting, but she tries not to fret over it too much- they need elbow room for eating.   
  
“So, what kinda movie do ya wanna watch?”   
  
Yachi looks over at him, a bite of chicken half-way to her mouth, and she blinks before giving him a small smile and a shrug.   
  
“Whatever you want,” she tells him. He looks as if he’ll protest, so Yachi pushes on with, “Please don’t make me pick- I _did_ have to choose dinner.”   
  
It’s one of the few things she can be firm with, stubborn with. Osamu’s brow raises and he looks maybe a little surprised, but he nods after a moment and picks up the remote.   
  
“Fair point.”   
  
Yachi smiles and eats her chicken.   
  


* * *

  
  
“ _We are men of action. Lies do not become us_.”   
  
Osamu had, surprisingly enough, picked out _The Princess Bride_. Yachi is not one hundred percent certain that he’s watched it before, but he seems to be enjoying it and that’s enough for her.   
  
When they both finish eating, Osamu pauses the movie to gather their dishes and take them to the kitchen. Yachi grabs the food to put in the sink and only smiles when he tells her that she doesn’t have to do that.   
  
She’s relaxed now- jitters all gone and a small smile staying on her face. Yachi feels good- relaxed and full and _happy_.   
  
It’s been a very good first date. She’s _thrilled_ that everything has gone so nicely.   
  
Yachi makes it back to the couch first and sits down with a happy hum. It takes a moment, but Osamu joins her and he ends up sitting close. The touch of their knees pressing together has Yachi biting her lip and she hesitates, glancing over at Osamu through her lashes.   
  
One of his top buttons has managed to come undone. It was originally buttoned up to just below his collarbone, but now she can see more of his chest. Yachi, uh, likes that. Likes that a lot, actually.   
  
The fleeting thought of _what does he look like shirtless_ flits through her mind and Yachi shoves it away quickly, banishes it for another time.   
  
Osamu shifts on the couch, just a little, and that yanks Yachi out of her thoughts, has her taking a breath to work up some courage.   
  
The afternoon has gone by so nicely. _Surely_ it’ll be okay.   
  
Surely.   
  
Hesitant but bold, Yachi scoots over closer to Osamu and leans against him. Her tiny nerves are vanquished when he immediately wraps an arm around her and Yachi sighs happily when he moves and adjusts them so her head is on his chest.   
  
He’s warm and she can still smell his cologne, hear his heart beat in his chest. It’s just a little fast, maybe, but that could be Yachi projecting a bit too. She still smiles at the thought, though, and smiles more when his fingers idly run through hair.   
  
This is...so nice. She hadn’t realized that she had wanted this. She hadn’t realized that she could _have_ this with him. It was nothing she had ever expected or dared to dream, but Yachi thinks that that’s okay, maybe.   
  
She’s getting this _now_ and it’s going _well_ and it feels _good_ and _right_.   
  
...she’s so happy that he wanted- wants- her. She’s so happy that he had been brave enough to reach out.   
  
If it had been up to her, this might not have ever happened.   
  
Yachi hides a huff and she curls her fingers into the fabric of his shirt, smiles as characters declare love on the tv screen. The fingers running through her hair lulls her into an even more relaxed state and Yachi sighs happily at the contact, at how well the date has gone.   
  
“Did ya have a good day, pumpkin?” Osamu asks, voice quiet but not shy or soft. He sounds content, Yachi thinks, and she’s right there with him.   
  
Yachi hums, eyes closing and satisfaction ringing through her when his free hand finds hers and laces their fingers together.   
  
“I did,” she murmurs, head tilting up to offer him a smile. “Thank you.”   
  
Osamu huffs, but it seems fond. He bends down a little and she scoots up to meet him, smiles a bit wider when his lips find hers.   
  
“‘M glad,” he tells her, right against her lips. He pulls away just far enough that their eyes can meet and Yachi lets her lashes lower, her cheeks flush with rosy contentment as he looks her face over. “...I have some free time on Tuesday if ya maybe wanna do somethin’ then.”   
  
“A second date?” Yachi asks, blinking and unable to hide the excitement in her voice at the thought.   
  
He smiles, lips tilting crooked and gorgeous, and Yachi absently presses a bit closer to him.   
  
“Yeah, if ya want.”   
  
Yachi nods almost immediately- her classes for the day are only in the morning and she’s sure she can make free time for him amidst essays- and Osamu’s smile turns into a grin.   
  
“We’ll do somethin’ Tuesday then,” Osamu says, voice dipping into a pleased tone that Yachi is not quite sure she’s ever heard from him before. “I can make ya dinner then. Somethin’ proper.”   
  
Yachi smiles at the thought and she knows she must look flushed and flustered- absolutely _twitterpated_. She doesn’t mind, though, and the way that Osamu kisses her shows her that he doesn’t mind either.   
  
It lingers, their kiss. Soft and slow and sweet. Yachi melts against him with it and she sighs so contently whenever their lips part, lays her head back on his chest and watches the television with half-shut eyes.   
  
Another date with Osamu. The first date had been unexpected enough- a second one is even _more_ unexpected.   
  
But, Yachi thinks as Osamu’s hand finds her hair again, there’s nothing wrong with the unexpected.   
  
She prefers it now anyway.   
  
Smiling, Yachi curls closer to the man she’s come to care for- a man she only met because of a bad storm and good luck.   
  
She sighs against him, happy, and the two of them lay on the couch together- content with the moment, content with the situation that brought them together, content with the uncertain and unexpected future waiting for them.   
  
  
  
  
(If Yachi thinks that a date with Osamu is unexpected- if she thinks _friendship_ with Osamu is unexpected- then she has no words for the proposal that comes a year later. It’s more than unexpected and she cries in the kitchen when asked- hands shaking and lips smiling as her new fiance rises from the floor and kisses her giddy and breathless.   
  
They get married a year after the proposal- on the farm they had went to on their first date. Osamu is the one that had picked it for their wedding location- something else unexpected- and they had gotten married in the fall with their friends and family around them.   
  
It’s unexpected- the proposal and the wedding and the way he had written his own vows- and it’s so much and it’s nothing she could have ever, _ever_ predicted when they had first met.   
  
But, that’s okay. It’s not tragedy or something miserable and horrid and gut wrenching- it’s nothing like her mind would have conjured up before she met him.   
  
It’s unexpected, yes.   
  
But, it’s a delight as well.   
  
Yachi and Osamu get married and they spend the rest of their lives together- happy and content and facing all of the surprises that life throws their way with open arms.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this is the first multi-chaptered fic I've ever finished;;;  
> It's small, though, so I think it doesn't count
> 
> But! A few things:  
> -Osamu was absolutely nervous during their date but he's much, much better at hiding it than Yachi. His accent slipping out more was to point at that  
> -This chapter wasn't what I had originally planned on writing. It was supposed to be set way in the future when they were married and had a kid, but I couldn't resist a cute first date;;;;  
> -I'll probably write more for this au. If I do, I'll make it a series of one-shots instead of adding onto this and they'll be set in the time between their first date and proposal. Maybe a few after *if* I write them because I like mom!Yachi;;;
> 
> Uh, but, yeah. Thanks for reading my incredibly self-indulgent fic and thanks for the kudos and comments. They're much appreciated and so are you!

**Author's Note:**

> next: confession
> 
> pumpkins aren't particularly tasty to me, but i think that it makes for a really cute nickname
> 
> this was originally going to be a longer one-shot, but i think a small three chapter fic is the better way to go, maybe


End file.
